Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to design and manage food safety programs for meat industry enterprises including meat processing, smallgoods, retail and food services operations. The unit also describes the skills and knowledge for working with customers and consumers on food safety issues.
This unit is appropriate for all managers in a food safety and/or Quality Assurance (QA) role, and for those working in production roles with responsibility for food safety and QA.
Food safety is a critical element of product quality and is a priority for all sectors of the meat processing industry. Food safety is also a community issue and public perceptions of the safety of meat and meat products affect the viability of meat processing enterprises.
This unit applies to individuals who take personal responsibility and exercise autonomy in undertaking complex work. They analyse information and exercise judgement to complete a range of advanced, skilled activities.
All work in this area must be conducted in the context of Australian meat industry standards and regulations.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Establish enterprise meat or food safety system requirements | 1.1 Determine the goals, scope and requirements of the food safety system, in accordance with customer, enterprise and regulatory requirements 1.2 Evaluate alternative food safety systems against enterprise requirements and identify the preferred system 1.3 Plan the development of the food safety system using team and consultative approaches 1.4 Identify and obtain resource requirements, including staff training requirements, for effective systems operation and maintenance |
2. Develop food safety systems | 2.1 Identify food safety responsibilities, obligations and roles and clearly explain them to stakeholders 2.2 Identify and describe processes covered by the food safety system 2.3 Identify food safety hazards for all processes within the scope of the food safety system 2.4 Identify, develop and validate hazard control measures 2.5 Develop procedures for preventative action |
3. Establish monitoring procedures and corrective actions | 3.1 Develop monitoring procedures and use monitoring information to inform corrective actions 3.2 Develop and implement corrective actions for effective hazard control 3.3 Develop, maintain and secure recording and documentation procedures 3.4 Develop, resource and implement strategies to support routine and consistent application of food safety systems in the workplace |
4. Evaluate food safety system | 4.1 Establish audit procedures and monitor audits 4.2 Establish verification procedures and schedules and use verification information when reviewing the food safety system 4.3 Review and update the food safety system to reflect changes to Australian Standards, technical information (including verification data) and process information according to established procedures 4.4 Prepare food safety systems for external review and approval by relevant authorities 4.5 Use relevant information to measure performance against policies and goals |
5. Communicate food safety outcomes | 5.1 Conduct interactions with the public, regulatory authorities and agencies in a positive, cooperative and open manner 5.2 Promptly report food safety incidents and non-compliance to relevant authorities 5.3 Gather and analyse customer and consumer feedback and include findings in the review of the food safety system 5.4 Document food safety system outcomes to promote public confidence in enterprise products and services |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence must demonstrate the candidate's consistency of performance over time.
The candidate must design and manage the food safety system.
The candidate must:
analyse performance information to determine progress and areas for review or improvement
consult with stakeholders to determine the scope of the food safety systems, procedures and controls and identify food handling practices, processing techniques and support programs in use
determine measures for correcting processes, outcomes outside acceptable limits, including relevant procedures, when to implement corrective action, who is responsible for taking corrective action and information necessary to record
develop and validate control measures using objective data, industry guidelines and codes of practice
develop performance standards and criteria for the food safety system
develop strategies to support the workforce in implementing the food safety system
establish internal audit processes and schedules, including developing and leading the audit team
establish procedures to monitor, review and secure record-keeping systems consistent with regulatory requirements
establish verification procedures and schedules and identify action required if the outcomes of verification indicate that the program requirements have not been met or that the original program was inadequate
establish, monitor and continuously improve food safety support systems consistent with regulatory requirements
evaluate alternative food and/or meat safety systems for suitability for enterprise goals and directions, enterprise operations, enterprise product, cost and customer and regulatory requirements
identify and apply relevant workplace health and safety, regulatory and workplace requirements
identify monitoring requirements and develop monitoring procedures for food safety hazards identified in the enterprise
identify workforce training needs and negotiate and schedule training to support system requirements and operation
liaise with suppliers to establish and monitor enterprise food safety and quality requirements for products and processes
maintain currency of knowledge through independent research or professional development
monitor public health requirements and concerns and prepare reports for the enterprise, public health authorities, customers and consumers on progress and outcomes of the food safety system
monitor the implementation of preventative action measures, controls and actions to correct non-compliance or non-conformance
prepare accurate reports for senior management detailing compliance breaches/incidents, actions and outcomes and the implications for the enterprise
prepare action plans for the development and review of the food safety system, which include timelines, establishing, leading and supporting the HACCP team
prepare and present food safety system information, procedures, documentation and reports in languages, formats and styles appropriate for the audience and purpose
prepare communication strategies to inform internal and external stakeholders of progress and outcomes of the food safety system
prepare HACCP plans and support documentation including hazard analysis charts and tables, manuals, data analysis reports, corrective action reports and verifications reports, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and work instructions where appropriate for the enterprise system
provide feedback to the workforce or team on food safety performance
use appropriate communication skills and strategies for informing and confirming the roles, responsibilities and obligations of all participants in the operation of the enterprise
use available technology and data management systems to gather, record, manipulate, interpret and report food safety data and information
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate an in depth technical and theoretical knowledge of:
validation and verification (including audit) purposes and processes
product and process and the microbiological, physical and chemical impacts on the safety of enterprise meat and meat products in the identification of hazards and the assessment and control of food safety risks
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point HACCP principles and techniques and where appropriate to the enterprise, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
the enterprise's ethical standards and the implications for the food safety system
the roles, responsibilities and obligations of the enterprise and individuals in the food safety system
regulatory requirements for food safety, including HACCP-based programs, support programs, record-keeping, verification and internal/external audits, and the implications for enterprise operations
scope, auditor role and responsibility, and scheduling requirements for internal and external audit process
legal responsibilities for reporting audit findings, including breaches and non-compliances, to enforcement agencies, and for conflicts of interest, confidentiality, rights of appeal and giving evidence in court
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated through sustained performance over time, at an appropriate level of responsibility and authority, under typical operating and production conditions for the enterprise.
A minimum of three different forms of assessment must be used.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.